This yogi is now six years into conductivity, and only now feeling mature and experienced enough about it to finally find some words. I came to AYP 2013 as a three-year tantric, directed to the tantra lessons and learned my missing piece was a meditation practice. The AYP promise of bliss and ecstasy was very inviting, and free. A premature awakening must be a true hardship, conductivity without a prepared system; my gratitude to AYP for systematically awakening my energetic body in a stable and timely fashion.
The first six month were “is it or isn’t it?” And then yes it is, and it felt real good and there was a couple of years f*cking around and finding out, testing testing, pushing, straining; a time of yoga hangovers, of developing the sound of silence, and re-learning how to drop off to sleep. It was also a very stressful time in my personal life, and discovered more rising silence in the everyday, maybe because of chaos. Samyama was also paying dividends, in inner sensations, in affirmations, in sharing the love. The body and the process was much stabler when I was quiet, open, and calm. When in the midst of arousal states, it was better to do nothing and flow within it.
After those first two years, conductivity shows up strongly in SBP in tracing the spine, it shows up in DM as Shiva and Shakti, in ketchari and sambhavi mudra, and in simple intentional gestures of the face and hands. It snuck up on me in the dentist, being massaged, at the dermatologist. For awhile I did Cosmic Samyama to assist in falling asleep (conductivity kicked up as soon as I closed my eyes), but eventually tried a quicker way: breathing deeply as if in deep sleep while dissolving my consciousness (thoughts and feelings into the sensation bubbles). Call it mind trickery, but it seems to work well in this yogi.
Asana class (as well as my daily private positions) was the first place to really explore my conductive body and to develop the idea any extraordinary sensations can be cast outwardly, through the breath, by virtue of the nostrils, mouth, lips, and tongue, through all three eyes, and the hands and and feet. This yogi learned in class, as a default, to keep gentle attention at the diaphragm/solar center. It is the center of my body (assisting in balance poses) and my shushumna; gentle attention there connects my body and breath, my inside and outside world through full and slow inhales and exhales. Intended poses (through the stretching of muscle, tendons, connective tissues, and blood flow) stimulate the body, while breathing stimulates, integrates, and radiates. There was a discovery of opening the shushumna by “clicking it into place” between the root and nostrils/eyes, where there was relief within holding a pose and drawing energy outwards. As long as I feel I am radiating, and being open and quiet, and inviting silence and the white noise to step forward, I am feeling grounded and safe, to put my best effort into the practice.
The pandemic accelerated fitness goals, I bought a fitness tracker and took to walking and asanas outside. There is no better place for the conductive body to be, outdoors and physically active while soaking in the grounding opportunities. Conductivity has made raking, gardening, and snow shoveling yoga practices. It amuses while waiting in lines, driving a car, listening to music. Conductivity is weeping to both sad and happy situations. Conductivity educates daily when challenging balance, of the left and right sides, of ida and pingula. It has shown the potential of simple touch, an upturned lip, a gentle smile or greeting. This path is proving through knowledge and discipline, through gentle attention and intentions, profound changes can be made to the neurobiology and how a life is lived and experienced. There is a desire to feel both inside and outside and to know I am more than this flesh, and conductivity has provided that experience. There is an unfulfilled promise of liberation that I offer up daily, in hopes of realizing my true Self in this lifetime.
Thank you Dogboy for sharing your experience on the yoga path. I really enjoy reading about the experiences of experienced AYP practitioners because they always motivate me for my own practice, and I am still a beginner on the path myself, even though I have known AYP since 2017. I wish you all the best in your current and future yoga practice.
Thank you Parsifal for your kind response. There is always a hesitation to make a report such as this as it feels self-centered and boastful, but then I remember the earlier “Wild West” days on the forum (as Yogani has coined it) and learning from more experienced and/or troubled yogis who would share their perspectives and fuel my Bhakti. Like writing, yoga can feel like an isolating pursuit, but the more I can witness my thought streams and question the truth of them, the less I am guided by unchallenged ways of thinking and being. We are all different on the same highway; it is up to us to educating ourselves about what we are, and are not, capable of at any given day, and to respect those boundaries, and maybe even test them at times, keeping progress steady and stable. Keep on trucking Parsifal!
Beautiful as always Dogboy!
Sunyata, so good to hear from you
your kids must be quite grown by now! If I may ask, what is your conductivity situation? Does it enter your life in any way?
Thanks Dogboy. I can join Parsifal in my gratitude to you for serving as a voice of hope, love and wisdom on this path.
Hi Dogboy,
Yes! They are 9 and and almost 12 years old. Your oldest daughter must be almost done with college? How’s your youngest doing? Conductivity does show up in various areas of my life. So grateful to Yogani for AYP! AYP practices has provided a safe haven, a subtle/quiet guidance and store house of energy to fulfill my Dharma and live my life fully even with all the ups and downs in Life. I have not been actively posting but I visit the forum daily and read all the posts. I always enjoy reading your posts!
Please keep posting and inspiring us!
Much Love,
Sunyata
Interpaul Blanche
Dear Sunyata, the radiance in your words is felt here
Yes the oldest graduates with a BFA in a few weeks. She has her thesis art show next week. I am so proud of her! Our youngest has been in a residential program since the summer of the pandemic, mainly because her various needs are more than we are able provide. My life is currently very peaceful, but when she ages out of her schooling mandate in two years, the future is uncertain in many ways for our family. It may spur our oldest to save up and fly the nest. We are doing all we can to transition her to a group home, but the resources are thin and understaffed, and waiting lists are long. Being a parent of a child who has a slim change to be a contributor to society is my greatest sadness.
It is also what I am here to learn. I am using these two years to become the best yogi I can be. Conductivity should assist greatly in that, along with the intention to handle any particular moment in an open and quiet way, so silence can enter and assist. There I a strong possibility she will again be living with us (preparing for years) and completely change the dynamics in our home, so like a scout, it is best to be prepared!
In lesson 302, Yogani powerfully describes how conductivity and Samyama work in concert:
“Seek the Kingdom of God, and all the rest will be added onto you.”
I have a history of issues in the thoracic and cervical spines; a genetic curvature plus arthritic issues treated successfully (thus far) by prescriptions, physical therapy exercises, and yoga naturally. I now take only an anti-inflammatory. Not to long ago, a friend took my profile pic as I stared off at a vista and I was shocked at my posture. I bought a posture support for my daily walks and place gentle attention, whenever aware, at the core and shoulder blades. Neck rolls are a feature of my asana practice, physical therapy never ends in that respect.
In this conductive body, when I elevate my heart rate (walking), gentle attention at the core/solar plexus/center and empty of thought: shoulders stitched, an intention to being open, erect, and moving through time and space, footfall rhythmic, nature interacting, breathing audible. Without fail, the root and third eye connects and the breath is felt, directs sensation up down in and out. Over time it has become less sexual but more expansive, obviously arousing nonetheless.
Conductivity has given me body awareness, which needs daily nurturing and acknowledgement, less I become lost in thoughts.
That’s really interesting. Thanks for sharing! I’m currently at a point where “crazy” changes are going on associated with ecstatic conductivity. And so hearing stories like yours make me feel more comfortable with those changes unfolding.
Yes the oldest graduates with a BFA in a few weeks. She has her thesis art show next week. I am so proud of her! Our youngest has been in a residential program since the summer of the pandemic, mainly because her various needs are more than we are able provide. My life is currently very peaceful, but when she ages out of her schooling mandate in two years, the future is uncertain in many ways for our family. It may spur our oldest to save up and fly the nest. We are doing all we can to transition her to a group home, but the resources are thin and understaffed, and waiting lists are long. Being a parent of a child who has a slim change to be a contributor to society is my greatest sadness.
It is also what I am here to learn. I am using these two years to become the best yogi I can be. Conductivity should assist greatly in that, along with the intention to handle any particular moment in an open and quiet way, so silence can enter and assist. There I a strong possibility she will again be living with us (preparing for years) and completely change the dynamics in our home, so like a scout, it is best to be prepared!
Congratulations to your daughter! :heart: You have always been an amazing father and will continue to be. :pray:
In this conductive body, “active yoga” (weekly asana class, daily pranayama, walking, asana, and tantra) is handled differently than “passive yoga” (SBP, DM, Samyama); passive in the intention of stillness and complete inner surrender. In the beginning of all yoga activity, the intention still is to be quiet and open. As breathing/pranayama begins and the heart rate elevates, there are additional intentions: remaining quiet and present at the center of this body, keeping an erect and open posture, slowing inhales and exhales, and keeping the brain (and as a result my third eye) out of the flows as much as possible. There is an intention to keep thoughts to casual self inquiry (what do I feel today? what do I need right now?), to be the voice of inner guru.
Attention in the head is kept from the gently flared nostrils down on the inhale, gently pursed lips on the exhale. All radiance within this body is encouraged to travel on the breath, through the heart center, off the tongue, through the fingers, palms, and the soles of my feet, and maybe the eyes on a drishti. By allowing the brain to bypass sensations, my yoga becomes simultaneously stimulating, integrating, radiating and grounding The third eye is still wide open (felt) but it is not charged with release, so the brain can ‘just be’. I don’t suffer from brain fog. Even though activity was not directed through the third eye, by the end of class, walk, or sex, bliss is registered on my face and in my mood, and from time to time the crown may twinkle.
Thanks for sharing! It sounds like you have quite significantly moved away from the baseline SBP then? If I understand you correctly, you are circulating your awareness through your whole body, including your toes, but excepting your brain? Do you have a specific path for your awareness, like a modified spinal nerve?
Hello Tensor
I reserve SBP for sitting practice as it is powerful at quieting the body in tracing the spine and finding the silence to slip into DM. With eyes closed, in DM, sensation is naturally sucked towards Ajna. In active yoga practices, there is no spine tracing, no closed eyes. With open eyes, the awareness is mostly on the center/core/diaphragm, along with gentle awareness of the nostrils (inhale) and the lips/mouth/tongue (exhale). Staying at the core feels grounding and less chance overwhelming the system by channeling sensation through the head. The third eye, because of the proximity to the mouth and nose, becomes active by proxy, there is not a reliance on it for radiance when heat, heart rate, and sensation increases in the body.
In active yoga practices, it’s easy to imagine the shushumna as a third lung, expanding and contracting in unison with the other two, inviting inside silence out, and sensations that have evolved over the years, less sexual, more expansive in nature, pushing boundaries of the flesh, if the imagination is strong enough
Aha! Thanks for clarifying. I haven’t yet tried out much active practices. Good inspiration to change that